“Alright, tiefling tell us what you are doing here, or we’ll send you back to hell and you can tell your master why you failed,” Kai ordered, pulling the devil-like creature to his feet.
“It’s quite simple. I’ve been trapped down here.”
“Search him,” Kai said pointing with his chin. “What’s your name tiefling?”
Guo Gan began patting down the green robed cultist.
“My name is Odium.”
“He has a dagger,” Guo Gan said and pulled it from his belt.
“And I’m more than happy to allow you to take it,” Odium said holding his hands up in a non-threatening gesture.
“What is the nature of your green cloak association? Are you the original inhabitants of the abbey?” Kai asked.
“My understanding is the abbey has been in multiple hands over the centuries. Sadly not much of it is left, but the basement here is intact.”
“How long have you been here?”
“A few months, but the organization has been around for a few years.”
“Does it have a name?”
“The Brotherhood of the Green Abbey,” Odium said, paused at the party’s curious looks and continued, “I know, I know not very creative.”
“It is known more widely as something different, something I might know?” Kai asked.
“We are the worshipers of the great, Archdevil Bel. Ruler of at least one level of hell and the Archduke of Avernus,” Odium exalted.
“Oi, I be hearing of that one,” Kildo spoke up. “He be ruler of hell alright, until he be supplanted by Zariel.”
“Yes…but it was not always this way. Lord Bel held the title once before, and shall do so again,” Odium educated.
“So, what were you doing here?” Guo Gan asked.
“I was here as a visitor researching my heritage in their library, but I didn’t get along with the others in the abbey, due to said heritage,” Odium explained.
“So, they were rude to you?” Guo Gan inquired.
“They could have been nicer. My collogues gave me a small room in which to sleep, which housed two horrific statues, which did have a bit of a smell to it,” Odium described.
Kai asked, “Who burned the abbey to the ground?”
“I don’t know who they actually were, as I hadn’t seen anyone. I remember seeing and hearing explosions and fire. We all then gathered food to bring to the basement,” Odium explained. “The coastal defenses worked well, but not well enough.”
“An army of undead guarding the beach seems potent. Were these already here or did the brotherhood put this in place?” Guo Gan asked.
“I do not know. They never bothered us,” Odium said.
“Is there a route through them?” Guo Gan questioned.
“No route is needed. You just need the necklaces to get through,” Odium enlightened.
Kai motioned to Scomatch, who pulled a necklace from one of the cultists. Round and attached to a silver chain, it had the image of a red devil in the middle.
“Now, you must have seen something on the way up from the beach?” Odium questioned.
Kai said, “The people who came were generally in red cloaks. It was some organization and not a random pirate attack. Do you know who they were?”
“No, I’m not high enough in level to know who the other organization might be, or who our enemies are,” Odium replied. “Did you come here for any particular reason?”
“We came here to find out what is going on with this abbey. There was a concern about a growing threat, but the information wasn’t entirely clear,” Kai said.
“Ah, a third party hired you,” Odium understood. “May I take this time to ask you if you would like to come and know Bel as your personal savior?”
The party slowly turned towards the tiefling. Kildo tightened his grip on his warhammer and growled.
“No? Now that is done, I’d like to offer you a story. One full of wealth, as this abbey is supposed to have a treasure room. I don’t know where it is, but I do know how to find it. I would be happy to help you.”
“Is it a story that ends in a sacrifice of sentient creatures?” Guo Gan asked.
“No, no, no. Since you folks are here, you have a way off the island. I would be grateful for a measure of the treasure and would allow me to leave the island with you to any place you are heading where I can then go on my way,” Odium clarified.
“Aren’t you concerned about your fellow cultist leaders being upset about the loss of the abbey?” Kai asked.
“No, this is the abbot’s failure, not mine,” Odium clarified. “Now, there are rewards to be had here, if we all work together.”
Folding his arms, Kai said, “That’s an interesting proposal and one we will take under advisement. For now, we want to clear the rest of the room to ensure there are no surprises.”
“Of course, I will be here. I have nowhere else to go.”
The party kept a wary eye on Odium as they searched the main room where they battled the cultist. They each retrieved a necklace and Scomatch found a few useful scroll tubes and a stash of gold coins. Moving to the south, they entered a makeshift dining area where foodstuff was stored. There was a long table with two other round tables. Two sets of doors were on the west side, as well as on the east.
Entering the farthest western door, it was 30’ x 20’ and had a hastily improvised chapel room. An altar, which had been scrubbed, held a dark discoloration with a half-melted statue of some devilish humanoid. Two lit candlesticks were on either side holding the image of Bel. A brazier burned in the middle of the room surrounded by a triangle with three smaller fires at the points. Velvet curtains went around the room.
Guo Gan called out, “Hey Odium! I have a question about the chapel. Why is it so small?”
“The main sanctuary upstairs was burned, so the abbot put a new one here,” Odium answered.
“Is this a summoning room?” Kai asked.
“No, it’d be a bit too small for a summoning chamber.”
Eying the tiefling, Kai blew out the candles and knocked over the braziers and watched for any reaction. Hot coals scattered across the floor.
Kildo then walked past Odium and Kai and began to undo his leather pants. A steady stream of urine began to put out the lit embers. They hissed as steam rose up.
“That’s grand,” Odium lamented.
“Yeah, I not be seeing anyplace else to relieve me’self, so a devil worshiping hovel, seems as good place as any,” Kildo stated as he finished and retied his leather pants.
Continuing to explore, the other western room had three beds. Moving to the east side, the first door led into a large pantry. The other door opened to a small storage area. There was a single cot squeezed into the middle of the room. Two statues were present. One was a heavily cloaked skeleton holding a massive scythe. The other was a carved statue of a shapely, nude woman that any man would yearn for, except her head was snarling with snakes for hair, a medusa. Both statues were at the far end and peered down to the head of the bunk. Upon closer examination, there were dried bird droppings all over both.
Odium then came behind the party and sighed, “Here is where they made me sleep. It seems the statues were used as scarecrows, until the birds got used to them and were no longer effective. They were stored here and suffice to say, I didn’t get a good night’s sleep while I was here. Speaking of sleep, I’m getting tired and we all have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Mind if I get some rest?”
Kai looked around and realized they were all beat. Scomatch gave a wide and very powerful and loud yawn. “I agree. We’ll set up watched and everyone can sleep in that bedroom we found. Odium move your cot in there too.”
As the party settled in for the night, Odium went to his knees. “O’Lord Bel, Arch Devil of Hell, thank you for delivering me from the red-cloaks that burned down our abbey. Thank you for sending my new found friends to me, who in thy wisdom will come to a just decision to my future. May the winds of hell always be blowing at our backs.”
* * *
“Oi, what be that smell?” Kildo slowly awoke in one of the cultist’s beds. Gripping his warhammer tight, the smell was sickly sweet. “Where’s Odium!”
“Cutting up breakfast,” Guo Gan said poking his head into the room before leaving.
Stretching, Kai also began to stir in the bed next to him. Exiting into the dining area, Scomatch was already awake, sat at the long table, and was tearing bread from a loaf and eating cheese. Cut apples, oranges, and peaches were on a nearby tray. The tiefling emerged from the eastern door’s pantry with a bowl of cherries, which seemed to have been just washed and glistened in the room’s torch light.
“Bel be praised! I hope you are well rested,” Odium said placing the bowl on the table.
Kildo eyed the cherries and began to snarl.
“They are not poisoned,” Odium said and plucked a couple and plopped them into his mouth.
Grumbling, Kildo picked a few slices of apple from a plate next to Scomatch. The dwarf then grabbed a half of a loaf of bread and a chunk of cheese.
As Kai walked into the room, Odium asked, “So, have you considered my offer from last night?”
“You have access to a secret treasure cache, which you can lead us too,” Kai confirmed.
“I can tell you what we need to do to find it, but there is a little consideration,” Odium said.
Grunting in annoyance, Kildo spat, “Don’t be believing him. He be a lying liar, who lies.”
Holding his hand up to the dwarf, Kai motioned for the tiefling to continue.
“Besides safe passage off the island, the treasure is up for grabs, but there is a single item that I want,” Odium explained.
“Would that single item be a blue gem?” Kildo asked.
“No, it’s a key,” Odium clarified.
“What does this key look like,” Guo Gan asked.
“I don’t know for sure. It could look like anything, but likely made of stone and shaped from a key to a sword. However, it would radiate the natural color of Bel.”
“What does the key be unlocking? Some fresh hell to be unleashed on us?” Kildo snorted.
“Nothing like that. The key is just an item and useless, until I can find the place to use it, which will help me find my father’s house,” Odium said.
Kai pondered the offer. “As you may have gathered, we have a very different personal philosophy than yourself. We are happy to work with you to find this treasure room, but we can not include as part of the bargain allowing you to leave here with any kind of artifact that would increase the influence or in any way aid the metaphysical aims of Bel in this world. What we can do if give you a share of some of the loot, gold and or jewels, which seems fair. In addition, you’ll have safe passage off the island.”
Odium then stopped to think about the counter offer. “That is disappointing. The question then is am I willing to accept less and willing to further your metaphysical aims. If I accept, what are your intentions with the treasure that I help you find?”
“It will be used to help further the cause of justice in this world,” Kai said.
“What about you, dwarf,” Odium asked.
Kildo blinked at the question and wasn’t sure how to answer. “To help the party.”
“You seemed uncertain about your answer. Are you uncertain about the direction your life has taken? You know Bel can help answer your questions in these uncertain times,” Odium said.
“Bah! You’d have more of a chance with me brother. My goddess picked me and whatever treasure I find will likely be used towards her will,” Kildo replied.
“Where is your brother?”
“The nine hells if I know. Listen tiefling, I’ll not be joining some red, pointy eared devil that has flames shooting out of its arse.”
“I was just saying, Bel does have a lot to offer.”
“I’m looking for the most knowledge I can find,” Scomatch spoke up.
Odium replied, “You know Bel can offer-”
Interrupting the tiefling, Guo Gan said, “I don’t have a problem getting you to a port and some gold. What I have a problem with is people like you putting on robes and screwing up the balance when everyone should just say at home. None of you should win. What I will say is if you start to get a little twitchy when we reach the treasure room, that will be a whole other thing. Can you trust yourself to let this key go and if it’s meant to come to you, then you will get it.”
Odium stopped and seemed to be debating with himself. “Yes, I can accept those terms. At least I’ll know what it is and where it is. So, safe passage and one-fifth the gold. Now that we are in agreement, then you are going to have to put a small amount of trust in me. I need the abbot’s amulet.”
“That you will use to?” Guo Gan asked.
“Find the secret path. It’s fairly simple. I use the abbot’s amulet, invoke the name of Bel, and he will show me the path. There will likely be guardians, so you will also need to wear an amulet to get past them,” Odium explained.
The party glanced at each other and nodded. Everyone put on an amulet, except Kai who kept it in a pouch. The paladin handed the oversized talisman to the tiefling.
“If we are all ready?” Odium then began chanting in a foreign language. The room became a little hotter. The necklace then began to vibrate and moved on its own. It started to pull Odium towards the make-shift alter room. As they entered, there was the sound of grinding stone, as a secret door opened in the southern wall of the room. Giggling with glee, Odium said, “It’s all coming true!”
A 20’ corridor extended to another large room, a 30’ by 20’ square room. An exit was to the west. Rusty coated swords and shields rested along the walls and from the cobwebs were here for some time. They left tracks in the dust as they past. Old and faded symbols decorated the walls.
A ‘chittering’ sound emanated from the northwest corner of the room. Standing stationary, but watching was a 7’ humanoid insect. It had six lanky limbs, four of which were arms ending in hands tipped with talons. Its entire body was covered in dense plates of dark-colored chitin and its broad skull was notably armored. A wide-set of unblinking eyes glared orange flame at the party. It held a long trident in its claws.
“It’s a mezzoloth,” Odium said pointing. “It’s a guardian and can’t wander away. The abbot was a twat and didn’t believe me that a treasure room was in the abbey.” Pausing for a moment, the tiefling continued, “Or he had other reasons.”
As the party passed, the mezzoloth gripped its weapon as it checked each member’s medallion around their neck. Kai pulled his out of his pouched to show the creature. It took a step forward, but didn’t attack as the party exited the room.
The group wandered north through a 10’ by 10’ corridor that soon turned back south. A set of two arches held sarcophagus. They were ancient and made of heavy stone. It seemed it would take great effort to move them.
“Oh, want to open them?” Odium asked excitedly.
“No!” The party said in unison.
Continuing on, the passage way turned east into a 40’ by 30’ room where the middle was a wading pool about a foot or more deep with at least six skeletal remains in it. The liquid within was a florescent green and in no way appeared inviting. In the north section of the room was a small bridge crossing it. On the other side, was a small altar with two braziers with similar green colored flame filling them.
Odium’s eyes went wide in excitement as he looked across to the other side of the room. Without any thought or concern, he crossed the bridge, which groaned under his weight. The party followed, but one at a time. As the tiefling approached the altar, he chanted a similar incantation that revealed the original secret entrance. Another door opened behind the altar. The path continued, but there was a door to the south a short way in.
Reaching for the handle, Guo Gan grabbed his hand. “Hold on. Something doesn’t seem right.” Touching and feeling the handle, the monk stopped. “I can feel pressure.” Pulling out his ‘security tools’ he began to examine the door. Feeling his way down, his finger-tips pulled out a nearly invisible wire. Pulling out a knife, he cut the taut cord. There was a resounding ‘snap’. Slowly opening the door, inside was a small room with a massive ballista, primed with a gigantic bolt that would have skewered anyone standing in front of it.
Continuing north, the passageway was branched, but always headed and met further on up. Guo Gan found a couple additional doors with ballista traps. All dead ends.
“Ah, I think this might actually be a good door that leads somewhere,” Guo Gan said reaching for the handle.
“Bah, let me see that,” Kildo said. “Every door in here be a trap, elf. Let me give ye some guidance, as I be knowing stone.” The dwarf examined the rock around the door and tapped on it with his hammer. They all seemed solid. “Alright elf, it be safe.”
Nodding thanks, Guo Gan pulled the handle. There was a rumbling as a massive stone from the ceiling dropped right in between the dwarf and the elf. Its weight missing each of their heads by no more than an inch. The stone cracked and splintered where it landed.
“I told ye elf, every door be a trap.” Guo Gan’s eyebrows rose at the dwarf’s statement. Looking down at the crushing rock, Kildo scoffed, “No one be saying anything about checking the ceiling.”
Stepping on and over the trap, the party followed the corridors, which now turned eastwards. There was an odor of sulfur in the air.
Kai held up his hand and motioned Guo Gan to follow him. Scomatch, Odium, and Kildo brought up the rear.
The corridor opened into a large 50’ by 50’ room. There were four sarcophaguses with the head pointing to each of the directions, north, south, east, and west. A closed door to the south end of the room led out. In the middle of the room was an altar covered in skulls. However, it was hard to tell if the altar was stone covered in bones or made from the items itself.
Sitting on the throne was a minotaur creature, but cut from clear crystal. It was a powerfully built, barrel-chested humanoid with a head resembling a bull. Its horns curl tightly against the sides of its head to encircle its ears, and manes of shaggy crystal falling over its broad shoulders. Its physical strength gave it an aura of stubbornness, bravado, and recklessness. A massive, crystal great axe was gripped in its hands.
On the floor around the minotaur, were three monstrous hell hounds with powerful physiques, standing 4’ at the shoulders. Their forms were covered in short, rust-red and red-brown fur, as their eyes glowed flame. The markings on their bodies, as well as, their fangs and tongues were the color of soot, and they reeked of sulfurous smoke.
Leaping into the room, Guo Gan’s quarterstaff smashed into the first hell hound twice, with the second stunning it, as his weapon smashed into its skull.
Kai moved up and swung with his glaive, but missed as the wounded creature retreated. Lunging with the butt of his weapon, it rammed into the mouth of the hellish beast. Radiant smite blasted through the end and out the back of its throat. From inside the creature, massive flames build up and erupted and burst from the hell hound. Embers, smoke, and a bit of burnt scraps of black fur was all that remained.
Scomatch charged into the room, skidding to a halt at the sight of the hounds. He was eye level with the beasts. Chanting, a spherical gurgle of liquid acid bubbled into existence in his hand. He hurled the concoction, splashing both the creatures. Their fur began to sizzle. ‘Yelping!’ The beasts retreated in different directions.
From the passageway, Odium chanted, “He didn’t use a dagger, he didn’t use a dart, he used acid!”
“Watch out!” Kai warned and pushed the mage halfling back into the corridor.
The burning mouths of both hell hound opened as a blast of fire erupted from each. Kai took the full brunt of their breath, as Guo Gan dove into a roll and back onto his feet, dodging most of the blast.
The living crystal statue of the minotaur rose from his throne of skull. Charging, skulls crunched under his hoofs. Kai swung, but his glaive only hit a glancing blow and the creature clipped and gored the paladin. The crystal elemental’s head smashed into the northern wall. Its horns stuck in the rock face.
“Life is death. Death is rebirth. Rebirth is life. Heal!” Kildo chanting holding his ankh holy symbol of Rigga, the Mother Goddess. Massive glowing, healing energy swirled around Kai closing the vast majority of his burns.
Renewed, Kai brought his glaive down. It shattered into the hind quarter of the bull-like creature. Splintered shards of crystal flew right into the triton. Streaks of blood from numerous cuts trickled down.
One hell hound approached from the south. Guo Gan swung missing, but bringing his staff around, crunched into the creature’s side.
With the minotaur stuck and not wanted to be sprayed with glass-like shards again, Kai’s glaive slashed into the back of the southern hell hound that the monk engaged. Bringing his weapon’s end around, he used it as a spear tip and thrusted the end into the hell hound. Radiant smite energy erupted from the end. It blasted through to the other side. Shaking visibly, the hell hound’s innards erupted in flame. It disintegrated into black dust. The thick smell of brimstone permeated the area.
Guo Gan and Kai both coughed from the smoke. As it cleared, the elven monk’s face went from delight to dread. He pushed Kai out of the way, as the last hell hound, which snuck around from the north opened its mouth. Flames engulfed both, with Guo Gan taking the brunt. The elf fell to his knees and went down.
Kai went to the downed monk, but only had a moment as the sound of snapping stone resonated. Freeing itself from the rock, the minotaur immediately charged the paladin. The beast trampled and smashed into the triton. He also went down hard, as his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
A ball of fire arched into the room and exploded. The flames magically curved around Kai and Guo Gan. The crystal minotaur was blasted black in patches. While also engulfed in flames, the hell hound ‘yipped’ in glee, like a dog taking a bath.
Following the fireball, Kildo charged right behind into the middle of the room and began casting; spirit guardians. A low, rhythmic pulsing began to emanate from the ground. White light came from cracks in the stone. Fog rolled out approximately 15’ from the cleric. Small wisps of air arched out. Longer tendrils began to form and immediately blasted into the last remaining hell hound and the minotaur living crystal statue. The cleric then kneeled down next to the paladin. Touching him, healing energy flowed into Kai.
Eyes fluttering open, Kai weekly asked, “Is it over? Did we win?”
“No, me boy, this is still happening,” Kildo grunted.
Sighing heavily, Kai rose and grabbed his glaive. Seeing the hell hound, it growled as it moved towards Scomatch, the paladin thrusted. The blade sliced into the back of the distracted hell hound. Its inner flame immediately engulfed the beast. Smoke, black soot and dust erupted from the remains as it was consumed in flames.
Scomatch began casting; thunderwave. Clapping his hands together, a thunderous force swept out from the mage. Booming in their midst, the vibration instantly cracked the crystal minotaur in several places throughout its body.
To everyone’s surprise, Odium came rushing into the room and skidded on his knees, stopping at the limp form of Guo Gan. “Merciful Bel heal this poor pathetic creature that has yet to see the unholy power of thy hellish nature.” Healing energy, with a color tint of blood-red, coursed into Guo Gan’s body.
Slowly rising up, the monk grabbed his quarterstaff and thrusted the tip into the crystal minotaur. Shards of crystal glass shot out, but Guo Gan spun his quarterstaff, deflecting the slivers of glass.
Following up and knowing the consequences of striking the crystal minotaur with a melee weapon, Kai advanced. Bringing his heavy weapon down, it smashed into the creature’s breast, as radiant damage caused additional damage. A large crack within the beast, spider webbed further, and coursed deeper throughout.
“Incoming!” Scomatch bellowed. A fire bolt arched from above and erupted into the center of the massive crack with pinpoint accuracy. Flame spread within the creature, as it seemed to ignite within, following all the cracking throughout the minotaur. Seemingly to melt within, there was a resounding sound of glass cracking as the minotaur living crystal statue shattered into a million fragments.
“Thank Bel we were victorious!” Odium praised.
“What in the nine hells Odium?! Why did those creatures attack us!?” Kai bellowed to the cultist.
Shock spread across Odium’s face. “I don’t know why these guardians attacked. It’s a mystery. However, if anyone needs Bel’s healing touch let me know.”
“Ye be keeping yer hell-fire hands away from me devil worshiper,” Kildo snarled.
Kai then said, “We’re taking a short rest here. Watch the south door out of this room to ensure nothing comes in. See if there is anything of value in here.”
As the party explored the room, Kildo began to ritually cast detect magic.
Checking around the four directional sarcophaguses, Guo Gan began tracing the etched writing on the western one with his finger. “Halfling, what do these writings say? Use your magic.”
Scomatch snorted, sat, opened his spell book and after flipping a few pages, began to cast; comprehend languages. His eyes began to glow blue as he looked at the old writing. “There’re just grave markers. This one says, Ricardo, the 4th Abbot of the Abbey. Learned a valuable lesson when fighting. Don’t stand in water when casting lightning.”
“What’s does the next one say?” Guo Gan asked.
“Borcal, the 5th Abbot of the Abbey. Last words to his congregation. Trust me this will work.”
“Oh, what about this one?”
“Zane the 6th Abbot of the Abbey. Keep them laughing. They’ll have a harder time shooting you.”
“And the last?”
“Damien the 7th Abbot of the Abbey. May the Abyss tremble before his coming.”
Finishing his detect magic spell, Kildo’s fingers began to glow an azure blue. He walked around the room stretching out his hands passing them over each of the tombs, as well as, the throne made of skulls. Sighing, the dwarf said, “There be no magic in this room.”
After a short bite to eat and bandaging wounds, checking for traps and finding none, the party opened the door to the south. The corridors traveled westwards before turning south. A green glow emanated from a room. Turning the corner, a 30’ by 30’ room opened up. Vases, chest, and piles of loose gold was scattered around the edges of the room. They found the abbey’s treasure room. However, there was one issue. In the middle, floated a massive figure dressed in glowing, green robes. Its face was hidden in shadow. The very specter of death lay before them.
12/18/2021 – Treasure
Cultist Room
· 328 gp
· Scroll of Phantasmal Force
· Scroll of Hold Person
· Scroll of Command
· x4 potions of healing
· Erhu – two-string bowed instrument
Party Split:
· 328 gp / 4 = 82 gp
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